Mastro' Mashes Mets

Yakis' Yacker of Grand Fashion in 22-hit, 22-run attack

The REBL Mets wanted nothing to do with the A's Mike Mastro' with two runners on and a 12-run deficit in the bottom of the fifth and the bases loaded and a 16-run lead in the sixth.

The strategy made sense because Mastro' belted a grand slam over the left-field fence in his previous at-bat to put the A's ahead by 11 in the fourth inning of a 23-3 victory on Sunday.

"I wasn't sure it was gone, but I knew I hit it hard," said Mastro', who finished 2-for-3 with 6 RBI including an RBI single in the second and the bases loaded walk in the sixth. "I didn't think it was going to make it, but I'm glad it did."

The A's who were shut out in their previous game, were glad it did too.

"It would have been nice to have had a few of these hits last game, but the Astros Ace pitched a heck of a game last week and today only shows what I've thought al along: We have the best offense in the league," A's manager Ryan Metcalfe said. "It was nice to see everyone break out of their funk and get going like I know they can, especially with Shane Francisco adding some punch to the lineup and some heat to the closer role."

Francisco went 3-for-4 with a pair of solid RBI singles and a broken bat blooper, scoring twice. Francisco also looked impressive in his first inning on the mound allowing one hit and striking out two Mets in the eighth.

Francisco drove in the A's first run of a seven-run second after fellow newcomers Steve Nojima (2-for-3, 3 runs, 2 RBI) and Matt Wolfe (3-for-5, 2 runs, 3 RBI) set the table with back-to-back singles to lead off the inning. Clinton Yeager
(4-for-5, 3 runs, 3 RBI) drove in two more runs with a two-out flare to left that put the A's up 4-0 and start a series of 5 straight hits by the A's (6-3). Shawn Purcell, who doubled in the first, legged out an infield single to keep things alive for Brodie Nissen, setting up RBI singles by Mastro' and Nojima.

The A's went down quietly in the third, but busted out for seven more runs in the fourth with Mastro' providing the power. Yeager  got things started with the first of two infield singles before an error and a hit batsmen loaded the bases for Mastro'. An infield single by Kevin Metcalfe loaded the bases for Rene Torres who took a lump in the leg to drive in Nojima who walked. Billy Dodson arrived late due to daddy duty but added an RBI single before Yeager's second infield single of the inning scored the A's final run to make the lead 14-0.

The A's picked up 3 runs in the fifth and 5 in the sixth with a two-run single by Wolfe and an RBI double by Kevin Metcalfe (2-for-5, 2 runs, 2 RBI) the big blows. The first 8 A's hitters had two hits and the ninth hitter, Torres, had 2 RBI.

Purcell pitched well, striking out 6 in five innings, tossing a no-hitter into the fourth. The Mets (0-9) scratched in 2 runs in the fifth with 3 singles and two walks. Purcell got out of his only jam by starting a 1-2-3 double play.

The A's go into the All-Star game with some momentum. They will try to remain the only team to beat the Nationals the following week, 2 p.m. at Napa College.

 Mike Mastro' flashes some leather and hustle, chasing down a blooper in left field before throwing to Kevin Metcalfe at third. Mastro' went 2-for-3 with 6 RBI including a grand slam.

Matt Wolfe eyes an RBI single into left field during a 3-for-5, 3 RBI game.

Shane Francisco drops his still living bat after an RBI single. He went 3-for-5 with a broken-bat single.

Mastro'- MVP